It’s hard to count blessings during holiday craze

November 25, 2012

So we have (hopefully) had our fill of turkey, stuffing, mashed and sweet potatoes, corn and green beans, freshly-baked rolls and pumpkin pie.

Now we have moved on to bigger and crazier things, the craze of the Yule season and its smorgasbord of sale fliers, Christmas displays and huge crowds of people all trying to get their shopping done along with the hopes of saving a buck or two.

When you're walking (prancing or running) through Walmart to find the best cheap wrapping paper or perusing (pushing) through the mall trying to find that perfect gift for a loved one, it's hard to remain calm, let alone remain thankful for things that bring us joy.

I recently have been lamenting many things that I, as a soon-to-be 33-year-old, think I should have at this point in my life. Some days, they affect me more than others, and the holidays are no exception.

However, as my family recently was hit with a small tragedy (and nearly hit with a large one), I was quickly reminded that things can always get worse.

I'm not one of those people who will walk around telling you to count your blessings, and I've rolled my eyes a few times at Facebook posts talking about things we should be thankful for.

It's not that I'm not thankful - but sometimes it's easier to think about all the things you don't have than the things you do.

It's also a fact that, although things can always get worse, they certainly always can get better, too, so that saying doesn't always sway me.

This month, however, it did. One of our cats, whom we rescued as a baby and has been a very special part of our lives (pun intended - his name was Special) got sick a couple of weeks ago.

We thought it was just a cold, but it turned out to be a lethal disease that, in a matter of days, took his young life. He was only 5 years old.

Now when his brothers are scratching at furniture and knocking things off of our desks, we don't get as annoyed because we are reminded how lucky we are to have them, for however long.

During the same week we lost Special, my sister was in the hospital, and I nearly lost her, too.

This past week, I had the opportunity to cover the annual suicide vigil held Saturday night in conjunction with National Suicide Survivors Day at Victory Christian Center in Warren.

The vigil is held by Loving Outreach Surviving Suicide and Survivors of Suicide in support of survivors and remembrance of their loved ones.

Watching the survivors light their candles and listening to them speak about the pain they have both endured and struggled to overcome made me feel guilty for all the times I've lamented over all the things I don't have.

It really put my life in perspective, and (pardon the cliche) this holiday season, I have a lot to be thankful for.

So, even though it's especially hard to remain positive while filling up the gas tank after the price jumps up 30 or 40 cents in a fortnight, try to take a breath (or a sip of eggnog) and think about all the things you have to be happy about.

It could serve to bring your stress level down a notch, and who knows, maybe you'll even be able to enjoy this year's holiday craze.